Aprilia, a podium away from losing concessions for 2023

At the beginning of 2016, already in the middle of the 1,000cc season in MotoGP, the FIM published a sporting regulation the most innovative of which was the introduction of a new system of technical concessions for balance the balance between the most stable and resourceful factories, Honda, Yamaha and Ducati, and the recent reincorporations (Suzuki and Aprilia) or those aiming to make their championship debut (KTM), and are therefore in another stage of development and clearly less, all with the agreement of MSMA, the association of manufacturers.

In essence, this is to retrieve an idea from 2013, first for the CRT subcategory and then for Open, and rewrite it. The regulation stipulates that any brand that debuted in MotoGP after 2013 or did not win dry races in 2013, 2014 and 2015 could benefit from it, 9 engine and open for evolution -7 and others were sealed- and their pilot officers had no limit on doing the tests (yes the rest). Suzuki and Aprilia were the first beneficiaries and in 2017, KTM.

Winning a race means adding three concession points, a second place two points and a third, one. and when it reached six, unlimited trial privileges were lost for official pilots at the time and so on, fewer machines and stamps for the next campaign and fewer invitations (wild cards).

Suzuki lost them thanks to Viñales in 2016

The first to stop benefiting was Suzuki for the campaign in 2017 due to the emergence of Maverick Viñales, who in 2016 was third at Le Mans, won at Silverstone and earned two more third spots at Motegi and Phillip Island. Surprisingly, Maverick and Aleix Espargaró, the Suzuki beneficiaries, left Hamamatsu at the end of that campaign and Iannone and rookie Rins were left without these concessions, although Suzuki was already one. to the championship cheerleaders.

KTM, two wins in 2020

In 2020 KTM lost the concession after a massive effort by the Mattighofen factory, which in just three years made a significant leap in quality. Since the points don’t expire until two years, KTM dragged a point for Pol Espargaró’s third at Cheste in 2018 to add to Brad Binder’s success in Brno in 2020 and two weeks later the Oliveira’s in Styria, also accompanied by the third of Polyccio.

Aprilia, a podium away from losing them

Now Aprilia is a third place away from the rest without concessions, though Noale has been working on this possibility for months. So far, 5 points have been added by Aleix Espargaró, a third at Silverstone’21, along with victory at Termas and third at Portimao this 2022.

“Maybe some of the engineers at Noale are a little more concerned than me, but I don’t like the concessions. I’m not a fool, I know this system helped us, but I don’t like them, and I think it showed I’m already driving at a very good level and that the Aprilia RS-GP is at a very good level.If we’re not at a good level, it’s impossible to do these results.So from now on I think we have a good base and I hope that already in Jerez we lose concessions “, pointed out in Portimao Aleix Espargaro.